Eclipse Pathfinder – the (Expanded) Alchemist

   For the next item in the “How to build Pathfinder characters using Eclipse” series I’m skipping ahead to the Alchemist – mostly because that base Pathfinder class, as an entirely new creation, is more of a challenge than yet another variant on the original 3.5 base classes.

   Most alchemists are fairly ordinary craftsmen, who spend their time extracting herbal essences, compounding medications, refining chemicals, and producing a hundred other quietly utilitarian chemical tasks. A smaller number turn out antitoxins, fast setting glues, luminous mixtures, and other bits of adventurous paraphernalia.

   A very few – who happen to have the rare natural ability to channel magic into their creations – dedicate themselves to reckless magical tinkering, brewing supernatural explosives, empowering themselves with strange concoctions, and dabbling in lethal poisons. They don’t fit in well with towns, magical academies, or crafting guilds – but they fit right in with a party of adventurers.

   Given that the Pathfinder Alchemist was designed as an advanced character class right from the beginning, and is a fundamentally skill-based character type, I expect that it will require the use of both Adept and Fast Learner to balance. This will also be a fairly complicated build; since it was designed as a new character type, long after Eclipse, to match it I’ll have to build a lot of things from basic system components, rather than using pre-packaged items.  

   As usual, the following breakdown is for level twenty. That way you can easily buy things as you please, rather than adhering to a preset level-by-level build. If you’re going to be using Eclipse, you might as well take advantage of it.

• Hit Dice: 20d8 (80 CP).
• Saves: +30 (90 CP). Usually good Fortitude and Reflex saves.
• BAB (Warcraft): +15 (90 CP).
• Skills: 80 SP (40 CP after Adept).
• Proficiencies: All Simple and Elemental Weapons (9) and Light Armor with the Smooth modifier (6).
• Magic Levels: 20 Alchemical (Bardic Chart, Int-Based)), Specialized/self-affecting spells only (spells which would normally affect a group only affect the alchemist), all require ingested components (80 CP, 40 CP after Fast Learner). An alchemist uses the Components and Studies limitations and must collect a book of formula (as per a wizards spellbook) to prepare his or her spell effects from.
  • They can use spell trigger items if they know the related formula, but not spell completion items.
  • Alchemists usually refer to their prepared spell formulas as “Extracts”.
  • A first level alchemist starts with (2+Int Mod) formulas, gains one per level, and can either get additional formulas from appropriate sources or convert them from arcane spell formula.
  • A wizard cannot learn spells from a formula book.
  • An alchemist does not need to decipher arcane writings before deriving a formula from them.

   Special Abilities:

• Adept (may buy four skills – inevitably including Craft/Alchemy – for half cost, 6 CP).
• Fast Learner, specialized in Alchemical Magic for +2 CP/Level (6 CP).
• Professional/Craft/Alchemy, Specialized for double effect/only when creating alchemical items, not when identifying items or some such (6 CP).
• Occult Sense/Detect Magic, Specialized and Corrupted/only works on potions, touch range only, requires an alchemy skill check (2 CP).
• Improvised Weapon, Specialized in thrown weapons only (1 CP).
• Augmented Bonus/Adds (Int Mod) to the damage down with Projectile Weapons, Specialized/only with Thrown Splash Weapons (3 CP).
• Improved Specialist: Gains one extra spell slot of each level 1-6 for self-enhancement effects only (6 CP).
• Spell Storing (Brew Potion) (6 CP).
• Poison Use and Poison Resistance: Poison Use prevents the character from accidently poisoning themselves when using poisoned weapons – although this is specifically noted as NOT using up the poison. Poison Resistance provides +2/4/6/Immunity versus poisons at levels 2/5/8/10 – and thus make Poison Use quite irrelevant. Buy both as Immunity/Poison (Common, Major, Major, reducing the attribute damage by 15 points or HP damage by 30 points per cycle, 9 CP).
• Swift Alchemy, Swift Poisoning, and Instant Alchemy are all Immunity/the time required for Alchemical Tasks. That’s Common, Minor, Grand, Corrupted/will not reduce the time required to prepare a potion at all, to prepare an “extract” to less than one minute, to apply poison to a weapon to less than an immediate action, or the time required to prepare an alchemical item to less than a full-round action (6 CP). To merely speed things up, buy a lesser level of Immunity.
• Mad Bomber Package (20 CP). This one is pretty long, and has a lot of options, so the details are provided below, after the point cost summary.
• Mutagen (12 CP). This one is also pretty long, if with somewhat fewer options, so the details are also provided below.
• Eleven bonus “Discoveries” (44 CP). In general, the “Discoveries” come out to 4 CP each – although there are a few which come out to be less than that. A list of possible discoveries is provided below.
• One Triumph of Alchemy (24 CP). This can be any of several different powers, so – once again – a list of converted powers is provided below.

   Hm. That comes out to 506 CP out of the 504 normally available at level twenty. If you want to precisely duplicate the Pathfinder build, you’ll have to take a disadvantage – or take one or two of the discoveries that have costs of less than four character points (which is pretty easy, there are quite a few of them). Of course, as usual for Eclipse, you’re also free to vary your purchases, including your skill points, hit dice, magical abilities, and everything else – or to invest points from bonus feats in extra “discoveries” or other items.

   The Mad Bomber Package:

   Mad Bomber: Shaping, Pulse of the Dragon and Heart of the Dragon II: Specialized for Double Effect, Corrupted for Reduced Cost/only for “bombs”, only usable (Level + Int Mod) times daily, use requires minor components (small vials of easily-produced alchemical “catalyst”), user may only create Fire Bombs at first, but may add additional types of bombs for 2 CP each (20 CP).

   Fire Bomb. Conjuration, Sorcerer/Wizard 2, Druid 2. Components: V, S, M (a bit of highly-flammable oil), Casting Time: One Standard Action, Range: Touch, Effect: Special, Duration: One Round, Saving Throw: Special, Spell Resistance: No.

   Fire Bomb calls forth a mass of flame from the elemental planes – enough to inflict 1d6 damage per two levels of the caster (10d6 maximum) on a direct hit and one point per level of the caster (10 points maximum) to those affected by the splash. As a mass of real material, a bomb is not affected by spell resistance or direct saves; it’s treated as a splash weapon with a range increment of twenty feet and can be affected by feats and abilities that enhance such attacks. Those caught in the splash damage can attempt a Reflex save at a DC of (10 + 1/2 the alchemist’s level + the alchemist’s Intelligence modifier) for half damage. Sadly, however, since a bomb is not a solid weapon it only inflicts 1d6 extra damage on a critical hit.

   Bomb Related Discoveries:

• As noted above, bomb spells based on other elements and forces exist: the Mad Bomber can add one new type of bomb per (+2 CP) spent.
  • Acid Bombs do 1d6 damage the next round to the creature hit.
  • Darkness bombs render the splash area pitch black, an effect which will continue to radiate from whatever the bomb hits for one round per level of the user. A light-producing spell of level three or higher will negate the effect.
  • Electrical Bombs do d4’s for damage, but a direct hit dazzles the target for 1d4 rounds and will also deafen the target for one minute unless it succeeds in a fortitude save.
  • Force Bombs only do d4’s for damage, but a direct hit knocks the target prone unless it succeeds on a Reflex save.
  • Frost Bombs only do d4’s for damage, but a direct hit staggers the target on its next turn unless it succeeds in a Fortitude save.
  • Magic Bombs disrupt the structure of magic on the target. Creatures or objects that take a direct hit from a magic bomb are subject to a targeted dispel magic spell, using the user’s level as the caster level. This cannot be used to target a specific spell effect.
  • Phosphorescent Bombs force the creature struck to save or be blinded. Regardless of saves, the target, and all those splashed, will glow brightly, illuminating a ten foot radius and losing the benefits for concealment by darkness, blur, displacement, invisibility, or similar effects. All such effects persist for one round per level of the user or until the victims take a full-round action and make a reflex save to get the stuff off of them. Rolling on the ground, being wiped off with a large towel, or any similar action provides a +2 on the save. Being targeted by a Darkness effect automatically ends the effect.
  • Sonic Bombs only do d4’s for damage, but a direct hit deafens the target for one minute unless it succeeds in a fortitude save.
• Bomb Modifiers:
  • Big: Metamagic/Amplify with Streamline, Specialized and Corrupted/only for Bombs, only for a specific trick (4 CP). The user’s bombs now have a splash radius of ten feet rather than five. Creatures that take a direct hit will continue to be exposed to the basic (one die or otherwise minimum) effects of the element or force used for 3d6 rounds or until they take a full-round action and make a reflex save to get the stuff off of them. Rolling on the ground, being wiped off with a large towel, or any similar action provides a +2 on the save. Being doused with a substantial quantity of an opposing element or substance automatically gets rid of the effect.
  • Bombardment: Metamagic/Transference with Streamline, Specialized and Corrupted/only for Bombs, only for a specific trick (4 CP). The user may give a bomb to someone else, to be used when they need it – but it will still take up one of his bomb use slots until they do.
  • Cloud I, II, and III: Clouds fill an area equal to twice the bombs splash radius for one round per level of the user. A moderate wind disperses a cloud in four rounds, a strong wind disperses them in one round. Each level of Cloud costs (4 CP).
    • I) Fumes. Metamagic/Amplify, plus Streamline, Specialized and Corrupted/only for Bombs, only for a “Cloud” tricks. Fumes obscure all sight, including darkvision, beyond five feet. A creature within five feet gets concealment (attacks have a 20% miss chance). Those farther away get total concealment (50% miss chance, and the attacker can’t use sight to locate the target).
    • II) Deadly. Metamagic/Elemental Manipulation, plus Streamline, Specialized and Corrupted/only for Bombs, only for a “Cloud” tricks. Now with +2 levels of Amplify and +2 levels of Elemental Manipulation, the fumes can be made equivalent to either a “Cloudkill” or a Stinking Cloud effect.
    • III) Elemental. Metamagic/Persistent, plus Streamline, Specialized and Corrupted/only for Bombs, only for a “Cloud” tricks. With +3 levels of Amplify, +2 of Elemental Manipulation, and +1 of Persistent, the fumes can now be filled with elemental energies, which cause (1 die + ½ the base damage of the Bomb) damage to all within the area each round, allowing a reflex save for half damage.
  • Etheric: Metamagic/Elemental Manipulation with Streamline, Specialized and Corrupted/only for Bombs, only for a specific trick (4 CP). The user may opt to have his or her bombs affect any one co-existent plane as well.
  • Knockout: Metamagic/Elemental Manipulation with Streamline, Specialized and Corrupted/only for Bombs, only for a specific trick (4 CP). The user may opt to have his or her bombs inflict nonlethal damage.
  • Rocket: Metamagic/Extension with Streamline, Specialized and Corrupted/only for Bombs, only for a specific trick, only for a specific trick (4 CP). The user may fire his bombs as rockets, giving them a range increment of 40 feet.
  • Shaped: Metamagic/Targeting with Streamline, Specialized and Corrupted/only for Bombs, only for a specific trick (4 CP). Whenever the user throws a bomb, he or she can select a number of squares equal to his or her (Int Mod) that are not affected by the splash damage from his bombs. If the bomb misses, this has no effect.
  • Sticky: Metamagic/Persistent with Streamline, Specialized and Corrupted/only for Bombs, only for a specific trick (4 CP). Targets that take a direct hit from a sticky bomb take the splash damage one round later. Bombs that have effects that would normally occur one round later instead have those effects occur two rounds later.
  • Timed: Metamagic/Triggering with Streamline, Specialized and Corrupted/only for Bombs, only for a specific trick (4 CP). The bomb can be delayed up to (level) rounds and goes off if disturbed. The user can “shut it off” if he or she so desires.
  • Toxic: Metamagic/Elemental Manipulation with Streamline, Specialized and Corrupted/only for Bombs, only for a specific trick (4 CP). Reduce the direct-hit damage from an elemental bomb by two dice and the splash damage by two points to inflict (1 die -1) points of damage to a specified attribute.
    • Now several of those could be partially combined, and I’d save a few points – but that would result in character-specific builds rather than a menu of choices. Of course, there are lots of other modifiers which could be applied in Eclipse, but this list should present a reasonable array of options – and rather more than the original rules presented anyway.
• Related Special Abilities:
  • Fast Bomber: Reflex Training: The user may “cast”, and throw, more than one bomb per round – continuing until he or she either (1) runs out of attacks, or (2) runs out of bombs. Corrupted/this requires a full-round attack action and functions just like a full attack action with any other type of ranged weapon (4 CP).

   Mutagens:

• Inherent Spell/Mutagen with +8 Bonus Uses. Specialized and Corrupted/requires minor special physical components and one hour to make a draught with pre-chosen options. Each draught being kept ready at a time beyond the first requires 1000 GP worth of components. (6 CP for an effect of L2-3 up to 18 CP for L9). The cost progression is not quite smooth, but simply taking it as +2 CP per additional spell level will never be more than a point or two off, and thus is fine as a minor variant. Each such step is a “Mutagen Discovery” of course.
• Metamatic/Persistent with Streamline x2, Both Specialized and Corrupted/only to extend the duration of the Mutagen Effect to one hour per level (6 CP).

   Mutagen: Transmutation, Sorcerer/Wizard 2+. Components: V, S, M (a vial of noxious liquid), Casting Time: One Standard Action, Range: Personal, Target: You, Duration: Ten Minutes per Level, Saving Throw: Special, Spell Resistance: No.

   Mutagen provides +2 Natural Armor, a choice of any one of -2 Int/+4 Str, -2 Wis/+4 Dex, or -2 Cha/+4 Con, and an obviously bestial form. These are considered Alchemical Bonuses. Anyone who drinks the component vial without using the spell must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 the brewer’s level + the brewer’s Int Mod) or become nauseated for one hour.

   Advanced Mutagen Discoveries:

• For +1 Spell Level gain a +2 Competence Bonus to Intimidate, two claw attacks, and one bite attack. These are primary attacks and are made with the user’s full base attack bonus. The claw attacks deal 1d6 points of damage (1d4 if the user is Small) and the bite attack deals 1d8 points of damage (1d6 if the user is Small).
• For +1 Spell Level increase the bonuses to +4 Natural Armor, a choice of any one of -2 Int/+4 Str, -2 Wis/+4 Dex, or -2 Cha/+4 Con, and a choice of any one of -2 Int/+6 Str, -2 Wis/+6 Dex, and -2 Cha/+6 Con to the basic bonuses. (Remember; alchemical bonuses do not stack – but the penalties do).
• For +3 Spell Levels increase the bonuses to +6 natural armor bonus, any one of -2 Int/+8 Str, -2 Wis/+8 Dex, or -2 Cha/+8 Con, any one of -2 Int/+6 Str, -2 Wis/+6 Dex, or -2 Cha/+6 Con, and any one of -2 Int/+4 Str, -2 Wis/+4 Dex, or -2 Cha/+4 Con.
• For +5 Spell Levels the bonuses become +8 Natural Armor, -2 Int/+8 Str, -2 Wis/+8 Dex, AND -2 Cha/+8 Con.
• Other Mutagen effects are possible, and normally focus on adding special physical powers, such as poison, a breath weapon, or additional movement modes.

   General Discoveries:

   Combine extracts: When the user mixes an Extract, he or she can combine two formulae. When the Extract is consumed, both take effect. This Extract has a level two levels higher than that of the highest-level formulae placed in the extract. That’s Immunity/the need to do spell research to create a combination spell with a secondary effect (Common, Minor, Great, Specialized and Corrupted/can only be used to combine spells that you already know, can only be used to combine two spells, the combined spell is +2 levels higher than the highest-level secondary spell involved rather than +1, combined formulas are only usable by the inventor, 4 CP).

   Concentrate Poison: Combines two doses of a poison, increaseing the DC of the required save by +2 and extending the duration by 50% . The poison, however, degrades to uselessness after an hour.

   OK; there are several ways to do this. First up is the simple and sensible one. According to the basic Pathfinder rules, being dosed with two doses of poison at once increases the DC of the required save by +2 and extends the duration by +50% – but injury and contact poisons can only be administered one dose at a time. Ergo, buy Immunity/the inability to deliver multiple doses of such poisons at a time (Common, Major, Major, Specialized/can only deliver two doses at a time (4 CP). That is, however, unlimited use and doesn’t ruin your poison after an hour. If you really want those limitations for some reason you can also buy this as Inherent Spell, Corrupted for Reduced Cost/requires one minute of concentration and two doses of poison (4 CP). Enhance Poison; adds +2 to the DC of resisting a dose of poison and +50% to it’s duration. If not used within an hour, the enhanced poison will be ruined. Personally, I’d say that that effect is really only level two, and thus is usable twice per day – if I wanted to take that route at all.

   Dilution: Once per day this lets the user make two doses of a potion out of one. This costs one-quarter of the sales price and a potion that has been diluted once cannot be diluted again. This discovery cannot be used to dilute extracts or mutagens, since they are not potions.

   OK. This is a bother. Now every potion everyone is carrying, or that they buy or find, needs to be noted as to whether or not it’s already been diluted. How do you tell a diluted potion from a normal one anyway? Does it affect the sales price? (Why should it if powerful alchemists are rare since the only drop in utility is the inability to do this again?) What happens if you try to dilute a potion again? Is it destroyed or does it just waste the money? Why don’t wandering alchemists drop by potion-sellers, copy their most expensive potions, and split the increased profit with them? Got a selection of potions that are worth 1000 GP? Spend 250 GP, now they’re worth 2000 GP – for the investment of a few minutes a day. Free money is always good.

   I suspect that this would work better as a privilege (“Gets to buy potions for 40% off”) or as a combination of Empowerment and Metamagic to so as to apply a single potion to two targets at a time. Either would remove the need for record-keeping and mitigate the dubious effects, although the “privilege” notion has a few smaller ones of its own.

   Oh well. To duplicate this exactly you’ll want a rather dubious level six spell of “Potion Dilution”. To buy it, you’ll want Inherent Spell, Specialized for Double Effect and Corrupted for reduced cost (4 CP).

   Elixir of Life: Inherent Spell, Specialized and Corrupted for Increased Effect (a level nine spell)/ the effect requires an hour-long ritual using an alchemists kit, consumes 25,000 GP worth of special ingredients, requires that the user be able to cast spells of at least sixth level, and produces a “potion” which can only be administered by the spellcaster. The effect is a True Resurrection variant: it does require at least some portion of the body – but if the caster uses it on himself or herself, the effects can be delayed for up to (Int Mod) days and triggered when needed. Opting to have it go off while the user is still alive is essentially equivalent to a Heal spell (6 CP).

   Enhance Potion: Empowerment, Specialized in Potions for reduced cost (3 CP).

   Extend Potion: Metamagic/Persistent and Glory (Int-Based), Specialized in Potions, Corrupted only to double the duration (4 CP).

   Eternal Potion: Inherent Spell, Add Metamagic (+4 levels of Persistent) to a spell of up to level three, for a total spell level of five. Specialized for Double Effect and Corrupted for Reduced Cost/only works on potions, can only be applied to a single effect at a time (4 CP).

   Infusion: Metamagic/Transference, Corrupted/only for a specific trick (4 CP). The user may give an Extract to someone else, to be used when they need it – but it will still take up one of his spell slots until they do.

   Sticky poison: Any weapon poison the user creates is good for (Int Mod) strikes before being used up. Immunity/the lack of a list of special properties which can be engineered into poisons and the DC increase for making poisons with special properties (Uncommon, Minor, Epic (covers up to ten points of DC increase), Specialized/only for making longer-lasting poisons (4 CP).

   Personally, I’d buy this one up, get the GM to approve a quick list of DC modifiers, and start making some interesting poisons.

   Triumphs of Alchemy:

   Alchemists can either come up with their own unique power or pick any one of the standard ones.

   Enhanced Intellect: Self-Development/+2 Int (24 CP).

   Ageless Form: Timeless Body with Rejuvenation (9 CP). The character no longer takes ability score penalties for increasing age and removes any which have already been applied. Sadly, while this is one of the major goals for classical alchemy, it’s fairly useless in game terms – and thus cheap. Personally, I’d throw in universal damage reduction 6/- for (15 CP). That provides some protection against weapons, energies, and pretty much any other source of damage.

   Fast Healing: Inherent Spell III (Includes I and II specialized only as prerequisites, 12 CP); the Fast Healing variant of Heal with +4 Bonus Uses (+6 CP) and Immunity/the need to use spell durations all at once (Common, Severe, Major, Specialized/only for the Heal effect, 6 CP). That allows Fast Healing 5 of up to 1500 points of damage per day – which should be plenty.

   The Philosopher’s Stone: The character gains great wealth. Major Privilege (May purchase a Wealth Level Template from The Practical Enchanter, 6 CP), and 18 CP on Wealth Levels (at 3 CP per level beyond “Destitute”, for a net wealth level of “Imperial” – the maximum).

   Here we had a prime example of “not thinking it through” in game design. The basic Pathfinder version of this ability provided an income of some 600,000 GP per year for twelve days of work per year.

   If it’s five years before the next menace worthy of a 20’th level character comes along, what will you spend your three million extra gold pieces on? Enough magic items to re-equip your entire party? Twenty wishes perhaps? Are questions like this likely to wreck your game? Why yes, yes they are!

   Even if we go along with the apparent assumption that characters will hit 20’th level and retire, there’s a thing known as “Consequences”. What will the activities of your retired alchemist do to the value of gold over the next thirty years? Can the he or she become a ruler, forget about taxation, and simply pay for building a new castle every year with 100,000 GP left over? 600,000 GP a year is enough money to provide a luxurious lifestyle for a large family AND to provide full-time jobs for another 15,000 families – and the income and economic activity they generate will likely support several times that many. How many first-level grandchildren will be starting life with plenty of funds and extra gear, a guarantee of resurrection if they get killed, a bodyguard or two, and a lot of help in getting up to at least level five or so? That would be all of MINE for a start – and I’d expect most high-level alchemists to feel the same way.

   Yes, there are a several ways in Eclipse for characters to acquire steady incomes. For example, the Tenebrium’s Coin advanced witchcraft power would – at level twenty – provide a luxurious noble lifestyle for the character and his or her immediate family. It WON’T supply massive, game-wrecking, fortunes.

   Ergo, I’ve substituted a wealth power that won’t wreck the game – although it will provide some very useful bonuses for the character and lesser bonuses for his companions.

   Poison Touch: Trick (three uses/day variant, 6 CP) with +12 Bonus Uses (18 CP). Technically that’s not unlimited use, although that could be built with either Innate Enchantment or Path of the Dragon – but this allows characters to define their own poisons or even (by giving up a few uses) allows them to produce different effects. I personally think that – say – poison, inducing amnesia, paralysis, and preventing the use of magical powers at three times per day each makes for a much more interesting character. 

   Eclipse: The Codex Persona is available in a Shareware PDF Version, in Print, and in a Paid PDF Version that includes Eclipse II (245 pages of Eclipse races, character and power builds, items, relics, martial arts, and other material) and the web expansion. It will be updated with Eclipse III when that’s done as well.

   Oh yes, here’s the OGL on the Pathfinder SRD site I referenced.